Al Ain: a True Oasis in the Desert
Al Ain is often described as the 'garden city' of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located approximately 60 miles inland on the edge of the Oman border in Abu Dhabi, its name translates as 'The Spring' and, originally used as a favoured watering hole of the nomadic Bedouin has been continuously inhabited for over four millennia.
Now, it is a modern conurbation boasting a thriving population of just over 600,000; and because of its natural beauty and numerous attractions, it has been labelled as the 'playground of the UAE'. Indeed, the development of an extensive new resort at Al Ain Al Fayda, which includes top-class hotels and a family Waterpark, is attracting a lot of interest from Emirati nationals as well as overseas tourists; helping to boost the status of the city as a holiday destination.
One of the natural climatic features of Al Ain that helps make it so popular is the humidity factor. Even in the heat of summer - during which temperatures average a scorching 36 degrees Celsius - relative humidity is still an extremely comfortable 60 per cent.
Benefiting from low winter rainfall and temperatures averaging around mid to high 20 degrees, Al Ain is a popular all-year round destination. Due to its dry heat, many visitors to Al Ain are those who normally reside on the sweltering Persian Gulf coast and choose to holiday in the city to take a break from the coastal humidity.
Man-made attractions in the city include a wealth of historical buildings and archaeological sites. The Al Ain Museum situated in Sultan bin Zayed Street is filled with exhibits ranging from the second millennium to recent history, and also includes a complete reconstruction of the ancient Grand Hili tomb. Inside the museum grounds is the Eastern Fort; ancestral home of the Al Ain ruling family which opens to the public during museum opening hours.
Those arriving on flights to Al Ain International Airport get a superb view of the heights of Jebel Hafeet, part of the Hajjar mountain plateau that largely makes up the Emirate of Oman; an area of outstanding natural beauty. It is from that prominent point overlooking the city that visitors can appreciate the size of this delectable oasis and to which an excursion is an absolute must for any tourist.
Whether the purpose of your trip is for its history, climate or on business; there really is much for the visitor to explore in Al Ain.
Now, it is a modern conurbation boasting a thriving population of just over 600,000; and because of its natural beauty and numerous attractions, it has been labelled as the 'playground of the UAE'. Indeed, the development of an extensive new resort at Al Ain Al Fayda, which includes top-class hotels and a family Waterpark, is attracting a lot of interest from Emirati nationals as well as overseas tourists; helping to boost the status of the city as a holiday destination.
One of the natural climatic features of Al Ain that helps make it so popular is the humidity factor. Even in the heat of summer - during which temperatures average a scorching 36 degrees Celsius - relative humidity is still an extremely comfortable 60 per cent.
Benefiting from low winter rainfall and temperatures averaging around mid to high 20 degrees, Al Ain is a popular all-year round destination. Due to its dry heat, many visitors to Al Ain are those who normally reside on the sweltering Persian Gulf coast and choose to holiday in the city to take a break from the coastal humidity.
Man-made attractions in the city include a wealth of historical buildings and archaeological sites. The Al Ain Museum situated in Sultan bin Zayed Street is filled with exhibits ranging from the second millennium to recent history, and also includes a complete reconstruction of the ancient Grand Hili tomb. Inside the museum grounds is the Eastern Fort; ancestral home of the Al Ain ruling family which opens to the public during museum opening hours.
Those arriving on flights to Al Ain International Airport get a superb view of the heights of Jebel Hafeet, part of the Hajjar mountain plateau that largely makes up the Emirate of Oman; an area of outstanding natural beauty. It is from that prominent point overlooking the city that visitors can appreciate the size of this delectable oasis and to which an excursion is an absolute must for any tourist.
Whether the purpose of your trip is for its history, climate or on business; there really is much for the visitor to explore in Al Ain.
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